Seven LGBTQ+ films to watch at Leeds International Film Festival 2026

Leeds International Film Festival returns from Thursday 29 October to Sunday 15 November 2026, with seven LGBTQ+ films worth adding to your watchlist.

Celebrating its 40th edition, the festival brings international cinema to venues across Leeds, with this year's programme featuring transgender documentaries, lesbian love stories, historical dramas and coming-of-age romances.

For audiences interested in LGBTQ+ storytelling, there is plenty to choose from, including films exploring family acceptance, forbidden relationships and the experiences of gay people across different generations.

Here are seven films to look out for, along with their screening dates.

Adam's Apple

Screening from 2 to 7 November

Filmed over more than 20 years, Adam's Apple is an intimate documentary about a transgender young person's journey through childhood, adolescence and transition.

Directed by Amy K. Jenkins, the film combines footage recorded by Jenkins and her child, Adam, offering two perspectives on growing up, family relationships and discovering your identity.

Rather than concentrating solely on transition, the documentary also explores friendships, everyday family life and the bond between a parent and child.

Rose

Screening from 29 October to 7 November

Sandra Hüller stars in Rose, a historical drama set in a German village following the Thirty Years' War.

The story follows a mysterious soldier who gradually earns the trust of the local community. However, that acceptance is threatened when villagers discover the soldier is a woman living as a man.

Directed by Markus Schleinzer and inspired by a true story, the film explores gender expectations, prejudice and the consequences of living outside society's rules.

La Bola Negra

Screening from 1 to 5 November

Spanish directors Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo bring three interconnected stories to the screen in La Bola Negra, a historical drama inspired by the work of poet and playwright Federico García Lorca.

Moving between pre-dictatorship Spain, the Spanish Civil War and the present day, the film explores forbidden attraction, family history and the experiences of gay people across generations.

Penélope Cruz and Glenn Close feature in the cast of this ambitious production, which combines romance, history and a distinctly Spanish perspective on LGBTQ+ lives.

Coward

Screening from 3 to 11 November

Set during the First World War, Coward follows Pierre, a young Belgian soldier who finds himself drawn to Francis, a tailor leading a troupe of performers entertaining men on the front line.

Directed by Lukas Dhont, whose previous films include Close and Girl, the drama explores a developing relationship against the violence and uncertainty of wartime.

The film also examines masculinity and the difficulties faced by men whose feelings and relationships fall outside the expectations of their time.

The Education of Jane Cumming

Screening from 2 to 8 November

Based on a real legal case from 19th-century Scotland, The Education of Jane Cumming explores the devastating consequences of an accusation involving two female teachers.

Jane Pirie and Marianne Woods operate a boarding school when a young pupil accuses them of having a romantic relationship, setting off a scandal that threatens their reputations and livelihoods.

Directed by Sophie Heldman, the film examines homophobia, social prejudice and the treatment of women during the period.

The screening on 2 November will also feature a question-and-answer session with the director.

Caity

Screening from 4 to 9 November

For something more contemporary, Caity follows a 16-year-old navigating her first romantic feelings while dealing with difficulties at home.

Every Halloween, Caity and her father transform their house into a popular local haunted attraction. But when her father experiences a relapse in his sobriety, she finds herself taking on responsibilities while exploring her own sexuality.

Directed by Lindsay Calleran and starring Chiara Aurelia, the coming-of-age drama brings together first love, family relationships and the complicated experience of growing up.

In a Whisper

Screening from 1 to 10 November

Leyla Bouzid's In a Whisper follows Lilia, who returns to Tunisia from Paris following the death of her uncle.

Back among relatives who know little about her personal life, particularly her romantic relationships, Lilia begins investigating the circumstances surrounding his death.

As family secrets emerge, she must also confront the differences between the life she has built away from home and the expectations of those closest to her.

The French-Tunisian drama stars Hiam Abbass and explores queer identity, family expectations and relationships between generations.

Where to watch and book tickets

Leeds International Film Festival runs from 29 October to 15 November 2026, with screenings taking place at venues including Hyde Park Picture House, Vue in the Light, Everyman Cinema Leeds, Cottage Road Cinema and Mill Hill Chapel.

Tickets are available through the festival's official website, where visitors can check individual screening times, venues, prices and availability.

The full Leeds International Film Festival LGBTQ+ programme includes further selections beyond these seven films, as well as queer short-film screenings.

For anyone looking to discover something different on the big screen, this year's festival offers an opportunity to experience LGBTQ+ stories that may not otherwise receive a widespread UK cinema release.